Lewis Hamilton could replicate Michael Schumacher's success at Ferrari if the Scuderia can lure F1 design legend Adrian Newey from Red Bull.
This is a surprising prediction by former Ferrari driver Gerhard Berger, who believes signing Newey will open the door to a new era of dominance for Ferrari.
Lewis Hamilton and Adrian Newey: Ferrari F1 Dream Team?
Hamilton shocked the F1 world in February by announcing he would join Ferrari on a multi-year deal from 2025, just five months after signing a new two-year contract with Mercedes after triggering his break clause.
Hamilton has won six of his seven world championships in Mercedes colors since joining from McLaren in 2013, and his departure at the end of this season marks the most successful team-driver partnership in F1 history. It will put an end to it.
Rumors have been circulating since the Hamilton deal was announced that Ferrari would take advantage of Red Bull's current uncertainty by making a move for Newey.
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According to a report on Tuesday in German publication Auto Motor und Sport, Newey was recently spotted at Bologna airport amid rumors that Ferrari, along with Aston Martin, had made an offer for Red Bull's chief technology officer. That's what it means.
Ferrari's relationship with Newey has been described as “clearly serious this time” since the Scuderia last came close to signing the 65-year-old in 2014.
However, if Ferrari is successful in its pursuit of Newey, the team will have to wait until the end of 2025, when his contract with Red Bull expires, for the F1 design guru to start work at Maranello.
Berger, who spent six seasons with Ferrari in two years in the 1980s and 1990s, believes that by signing Newey, Hamilton can repeat the success of Schumacher, who won five consecutive world championships with Ferrari starting in 2000. There is.
Regarding the possibility that Newey's arrival could mark the beginning of a second Schumacher era for Ferrari, Berger told AMuS: “Hamilton instead of Michael.''
Speaking at last month's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix (where Newey reportedly received a lucrative contract offer from Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll), Hamilton ruled out Ferrari making a move for the Red Bull man. I refused.
He said: “I think my actions have shown that anything is possible and that the next six months are going to be very interesting.
“Having worked within the team, it is clear that Adrian has earned praise for everyone’s work.
“Obviously I know he's a big part of that, but in the development of the team and the car they have, there are so many engineers behind it that I don't think it's the work of one person. I also know that there isn't.
“So it’s not my decision.
“At the moment I can't talk specifically about next year yet because I'm playing against him this year.”
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